WRITTEN BY MELINA DE LA CRUZ The Laramie Project officially opened and premiered five different shows from November 30th to December 3rd 2022. With 15 cast members and 26 roles, this play was original and new for this school. It included technical sets that were creative and when brought together made a beautiful play. This play included cast members who ambitiously embodied multiple characters throughout the play. It was interesting to see how each character remained unique to others, even during instances of a cast member playing multiple characters. The play, as mentioned in my previous article, “Theater has a new look”, covers the grueling story of Matthew Shepard and how his gruesome murder affected the small town of Laramie, Wyoming. One of the most powerful moments in the play was probably when the character of Matthew Shepard's father gave a speech about love and how everyone is deserving of it no matter what type of love it was. The set consisted of large movable blocks that seemed to blend into the background, creating a set that evolved along with the story right before the audience’s eyes. In between scenes, off-stage actors would bring out the props needed for the next scene while the lights were dimmed and the sets were transitioned. This scenery added to the fast pace of the story with it constantly moving and bringing in different characters and story lines. “The production put a spotlight on adversity and harsh reality of people in the LGBTQ+ community, allowing for a truly powerful message to be sent.” said Noelle Faeth, an audience member. Along with the deep emotional connections to real life stories that were brought about through the story telling of the play, it also demonstrated a powerful message about LGBTQ+ lives and how adversaries played a true part in getting rights for future generations. This play truly honored the life and story that Matthew Shepard led, showing us that love truly has no boundaries. The characters in the play “... empower individuals to find their voice to create change and challenge communities to identify and address hate that lives within their schools, neighborhoods, and homes.” - The Matthew Shepard Foundation |
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